More than 1,500 Chinese artists will stage a large performance on Sept. 2 at the Great Hall of the People, to mark the 60th anniversary of the Chinese people's victory in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, sources with the Ministry of Culture said  Tuesday.

Zeng Qinghuai, one of the chief directors of the performance, said during a rehearsal Tuesday that the performance involves around 50 artistic troupes and organizations.

According to Zeng, the chief staff for the performance have made a lot of preparatory work before writing the script. They read articles by Chairman Mao Zedong and other Chinese leaders on the war, studied lots of historical records of the worldwide fight against Fascism, watched video tapes about World War II, and visited a dozen museums.

"The script alone took us three months," said another chief director Zhang Jigang.

Zhang said the performance has a theme of "calling for justice and peace," which is designed to remind people of "the integrity of their country, the dignity of the nation, and the essence of justice."

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2005)